"Presumption" - Performed by Third Angel (Productions), this exceedingly enjoyable production is rich with humor, thoughtful and very memorable. I must say it is one of my favorite events of the entire week. The play starts with a man and a woman on a bare stage, bare except for the spike marks heavily outlining segments of the stage for who knows what. As the actors begin to interact with each other and their environment, the notice the missing elements. One by one, this realization leads them offstage again and again to retrieve the necessary item - a chair, a couch, a shelf, a bookcase, the entire contents of the bookcase - each time restarting or at least summarizing what led up to the interrupted moment. The set begins to denote the moments of their shared lives that make up the essence of the love they seem to question and for which they are searching. Skillful actors executed a remarkable evening keeping me alternately riveted and rolling with laughter. Pulling this off would require a sponsorship from IKEA. If the company isn't actually touring this, then someone in St. Louis needs to get the rights to produce it. LOVED IT!!!
"Ape" - Performed at Theatre Workshop, this event seemed more like an acting residency or workshop with each of three actors mimicking each other while also one-upping each other simultaneously. The three performers were relentless in their commitment and remarkably adept at balancing the focus and the flow. As dynamic and variable as each performance must be, one from another, I have the feeling I might have caught a less dynamic evening. Many of my colleagues were more impressed with the ultimate effect.
"The Table" - the Assembly Aurora Nova series has done it again!! I always find the best stuff here. Good going Wolfgang. Four musicians gather around the four sides of a basic, antique-looking, square wooden table that has been outfitted with electronic gadgets, switches, sound panels and sound reinforcement. Each then begins to beat, scratch, scrape and PLAY the table. It's amazing the variations of sounds and effects possible from this one collective instrument. I truly enjoyed the program and the performances by the individual musicians. A bit more variety in styles would have made it perfect. The Nuclear Percussion Ensemble would flip over this.
"The Container" Crammed into a 40' long trailer, seated on orange crates and in total darkness, twenty other audience members remained hushed with me as flashlights flickered and a half dozen actors began emerging from crates and crevices. One of the most intimate theatre experiences I've ever had, this is also one of the most provocative productions I've experienced. The actors portray refugees being smuggled into England illegally. A tad bit overdone, this is still an excellent production and an eye opening experience.
"Siren" - Another Aurora Nova, this one a creation by Ray Lee, Siren is part installation, part environmental experience, part site specific performance art. Ray Lee is a master and this piece is inspiring. 21 tripods support 21 pairs of sirens, each pair tuned to different intervals in the aeolian scale. With the space in near darkness, red lights mounted atop each siren add an ethereal element as the siren pairs spin on the tripod supports. Walking around the space provides a distinct experience with each new location. Kudos on an amazing experience and unforgettable evening.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
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